MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday criticized the idea of any intervention, including military, in the Venezuela crisis, stressing the need to resolve the crisis in Venezuela peacefully.
“We are united in the need to overcome the existing disagreements in the country by peaceful means through a nationwide dialogue as soon as possible, without any external pressure, not to mention the unacceptability of the threats of military intervention in the internal affairs of this country,” Lavrov said following talks with Bolivian counterpart Fernando Huanacuni Mamani.
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The minister added that most Latin American states also condemn the possibility of such actions, the Russia Today reported.
Lavrov’s comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a possible armed intervention in the South American country, prompting Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro to call for military exercises.
“Venezuela is a mess. It is very dangerous mess and a very sad situation,” the U.S. leader had said on Friday.
“The people are suffering and they are dying. We have many options for Venezuela including a possible military option if necessary,” Trump had said.
Trump threatens Venezuela with U.S. ‘military option’; Caracas calls it ‘crazy’
Caracas condemned Trump’s statement, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez calling it “craziness.” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also called for nationwide military exercises to fend off a possible “imperialist” invasion.
Washington took a harsh stance against Maduro and other Venezuelan officials following last month’s Constituent Assembly elections, which are considered “illegitimate” by the U.S.
The U.S. also added eight Venezuelan officials to the sanctions list, which had already included Maduro himself, banning American citizens from doing business with those blacklisted.
